


Lovesick

by sarcoline



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Blow Jobs, Bottom Will Graham, Caring Hannibal Lecter, Dirty Talk, Doggy Style, Domestic Fluff, First Kiss, First Time Blow Jobs, Fluff, Hannibal Lecter Loves Will Graham, Hannigram - Freeform, M/M, Making Out, Murder Family, Murder Husbands, Phone Sex, Pillow Talk, Power Bottom Will Graham, Riding, Sassy Will Graham, Slow Burn, Team Sassy Science (Hannibal), There's a team sassy science groupchat, Top Hannibal Lecter, Webcams, Wet Dream, face fucking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:27:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 12,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26675890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarcoline/pseuds/sarcoline
Summary: Set in between Sorbet (S01E07) and Fromage (S01E08) in the world of 2020. Hannibal and Will have been flirting shamelessly over crime scenes and therapy sessions... and then Coronavirus hits. Webcam malfunctions, groupchat shenanigans, all kinds of tomfoolery to come.
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 64
Kudos: 556





	1. March 14th, 2020

**Author's Note:**

> I've never loved slow burn fics. Then this happened.

**March 14, 2020:**

Will saw the writing on the wall before Jack was ready to accept it. By late February, Will started stockpiling non-perishables before it was socially acceptable to hoard toilet paper. He knew he could hole up in Wolf Trap Virginia for a few months, and start catching fish for food when it got warmer. By mid-March, Jack sent out an email that was copy-pasted straight from Internal Affairs dismissing all non-essential BSU personnel.

The Academy gave their teachers a 1 week deadline to start having virtual classes up and ready. After hours of sitting through a mandated and mind-numbing tutorial on how to use Zoom and Compass, Will more or less had his classes set up. He immediately posted an announcement that their assignments had new deadlines, and that emailing him for an extension wouldn't be necessary.

Beverly had spent the better part of their acquaintance trying to set up a groupchat for the BSU team. Will always could dodge these requests before, but now it was a necessary evil. Now, Will had the displeasure of being in a Groupme with Price, Zeller, Beverly, and Jack. It felt more than a little silly, being 40-some odd years old and having a goddamn groupchat. Zeller refused to use punctuation or capital letters, Price used an emoji every other word, and Beverly seemed incapable of responding to something without a gif attached. Jack had the same texting cadence and style as an technologically-illiterate old man.

_$$$: Should the BSU make an official Tik Tok account?? 💃💃💃_

_z: prurnell would never go for it, neither would jack  
_

_jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov: Price I don't think the FBI is prioritizing new social media ac  
_ _jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov: quisitions at the time In fact I would not be_ _surprised if eve  
_ _jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov: ryone got an email about proper social media usage You ar  
jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov: e all representatives of the FBI and the BSU Let's act accord  
_ _jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov: ingly_

There were more sobering parts of the pandemic, clearly. Jack's immuno-compromised wife was at the back of everyone's minds, but no one dared acknowledge it or ask. There was also the impending anxiety about if they would continue to be paid for work they might or might not be doing.

While Will wasn't particularly social before, his stockpile of perishables and unopened moving boxes of junk had successfully kept him grounded and homebound in Wolf Trap Virginia. Now with work being entirely online, the only other difference in his schedule was not seeing Hannibal.

Hannibal's clientele, being generally smart and cautious persons, were slowly cancelling appointments throughout the month of March. Shortly before the BSU, Hannibal sent out a cordial email to all his clients. It indicated that sessions would be temporarily cancelled, and rescheduled once a suitable online forum was found. He later privately texted Will that he'd personally work with him to find an alternative medium for therapy as soon as possible.

The pandemic hadn't actually curbed Will and Hannibal's communication. If anything, it made their texts more frequent. Will constantly found himself breaking away from cooking, cleaning, grading papers, or playing with his dogs to answer a text from Hannibal.

_What books are you reading presently?  
  
Found some old paperbacks from when I was in high school. The Grapes of Wrath is a lot more dull than what I remember. What are you reading?  
  
The folly of youth plagues all of our memories. Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle is a delightful read.  
  
I'm genuinely considering it._

Such was Will's life now. Scouring boxes of storage that weren't ever unpacked for something to pass the time. Trying out recipes online with the abundance of food in his pantry now. Occasionally fishing in a secluded stream, when the weather permitted it. Around noon on a Friday morning, Will found himself lounging on the couch in a thin-t shirt. The fireplace had been going steadily since he let the dogs out and back in at the crack of dawn. While reading papers by his students, Will's phone buzzed, with a notification from

_I have a small favor to ask of you.  
  
Do tell  
  
I am experimenting with multiple interfaces for my sessions with clients, but such efforts are in vain without a mock-client on the other end.  
  
_ _I could commit to the role of one of your clients. Complain about my wife, my mortgage, my boss?  
  
Will, I'm asking you precisely for the content of our conversations, not the imagined ones of others.  
  
I'm always free on the weekends, dead bodies permitting.  
  
Is right now an option?  
  
Yeah_

Moments later, a Zoom invitation popped up in Will's inbox. An invitation marked for right now.

Will hesitantly clicked on the link and let the Zoom app pop up on his screen. Without thinking, he automatically clicked 'Join with video'. And sure enough, Hannibal's stupidly put-together face was full size on Will's laptop. He was immaculately dressed in an obnoxious suit, hair coiffed, and clearly sitting in a home office. In contrast, Will hadn't bothered brushing his hair or putting on pants. He suddenly felt very naked in this state, before noticing his pantsless legs and boxers were visible from the bottom of the screen.

Immediately, Will pushed his screen back to only show the ceiling, and he could have sworn he saw Hannibal smirk.

"Will, it's great to see you,"

"Likewise."

"I'm hesitant to use platitudes and ask how you are,"

"We were never very good at platitudes to begin with,"

"I'm glad we're on the same page."

"How is Baltimore? I've heard some horror stories in the grocery store parking lots,"

"It is largely quiet here, with moments of chaos in such places. The dangers of mobs and mob mentalites couldn't be more true now,"

Will smirked and took a sip of coffee from a maroon mug.

"You're quarantining in Wolf Trap?"

"Yeah. It's peaceful out here. I feel righteously justified in living out in the middle of nowhere now,"

"You feel validated in seeking isolation from others before a it was necessary for our health and safety,"

"Validated is one word for it.,"

"You bore your cross for years, and there is dignity in choosing to isolate rather than being forced to,"

"You have a strange idea about what I live like,"

Hannibal smiled and reached for some tea. He leaned up to return his attention to the screen before it froze.

"Hannibal?"

The screen remained frozen, before the internet icon on the corner of his screen changed from 3 bars to a gray x. Will huffed with frustration and closed his screen.

_Sorry, the perils of the country_   
  
_I understand. Our time was too short, but we'll talk soon._

Will had the distinct sense they would too. 


	2. March 15th, 2020

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's connection gets better. Literal wifi connection, and the emotional ones to the murder family.

**March 15, 2020:**

Will woke up to the sound of a loud _thump_ hitting his front porch. The ears of seven dogs immediately popped up and the scuttling of paws began for the day. Will groaned and leaned up out of bed, walking with sleep-heavy eyes towards the front door.

Will opened the front door and was met with a gust of cold air. He was also met with the sight of a large cardboard box in front of his two feet. A Fedex truck finished backing up out of his driveway, before returning the road.

Winston cautiously approached the box and sniffed it, before looking up at Will. Will gently brushed the top of Winston's head and smiled.

"I don't know either buddy,"

He picked the box up and dragged it in the house. With a utility knife sitting on the counter, he opened the top of the box to reveal an encasement of styrofoam and a delivery note. _  
_

_To ease with the perils of the country_

_-Hannibal_

Inside the styrofoam was a hefty long range router that looked expensive as all hell. It came with a setup booklet and several cords. While it could clearly an immeasurably kind and useful gift for his classes and work, Will knew that it came for one specific purpose. Without thinking, Will picked up the phone and dialed. He answered in one ring.

"You bought me a router?"

"Good morning to you too, Will,"

"It's a Sunday. Most people can't get anything online delivered nowadays, much less in less than 24 hours,"

"It's important that you're adequately connected to the rest of the world."

"Well.... thank you,"

"You're welcome,"

Will suddenly felt very embarrassed, standing barefoot and in boxers in his kitchen.

"How are you?"

"I'm well. Take your time with the router. Let me know when we can pick up our conversation,"

They hung up and Will returned to his bedroom to start the day. He eventually found himself sitting on the floor of his living room in a sweater and oil-stained jeans, surrounded by sleeping dogs and setting up the new router. His phone incessantly buzzed the entire time.

_Beverly Katz: Anyone feel bored without bodies to dissect?  
$$$: It's only a matter of time before someone snaps and leaves us a ghoulish gift 😈☠️  
z: are we even allowed to come in and work if there is a body?  
jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov: Prurnell and I are talking We will handle all necessary in person activity   
jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov: safely  
Beverly Katz: What about boy wonder and his magic gift?_

Will sighed and picked up his phone.

_Will Graham: I'm a big fan of safety, don't worry about me or my magic gift_

After an afternoon of going back and forth between his dogs, the router, and this god forsaken groupchat, Will stood up and connected his computer. The setup wizard asked him to name & password-protect the new router. He named it 'WG Wifi", password 'Buster'. For the first time since he lived in Wolf Trap, his homepage loaded instantly.

_The router works perfectly, thank you  
  
Glad to hear. How do you feel about a makeup appointment, tomorrow at 7:30?  
  
Sounds good._

Will ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled. Despite not leaving his house, Will felt more emotionally exhausted than ever. Social distancing, while safe, left him wanting to go to bed by 6pm. Instead, he made himself a cup of tea and scrolled through his contacts before dialing.

"Abigail?"

"Will! It's so good to hear from you," Abigail smiled from the other end. She seemed genuinely excited to talk to him.

"I was worried about you, ahm... you know, being in a medical facility at a time like this,"

"We're safe and secure, but no one is allowed out of their rooms. We get our meals and medications delivered to the door. I feel like I'm in jail for the crime of being traumatized,"

Will laughed at that and leaned forward, resting his head against the couch.

"I know you've snuck out before, but please don't do that now,"

"Fair enough. I'm so bored here. It's nice though, talking to Alana and Hannibal and now you,"

"Wait, Hannibal?" Will questioned, feeling a knot growing in his throat.

"Yeah, we talk a few times a week. He's been curious what the meals are like here, and I act shocked when he finds them bland and boorish,"

"That's good to hear. I'll call you more often, really though,"

"Don't mention it. I'll talk to you later,"

They hung up and Will smiled. The idea of Abigail sending Hannibal pictures of whatever sad pre-packaged meals her facility delivered while Hannibal critiqued them made Will smile a little. Abigail was damaged, of course. So was Will. They found a kind of kinship in each other that made Will feel good. He wanted to protect and guide Abigail, especially in these times.

Miles away in Baltimore, Abigail smiled to herself after hanging up too. She almost subconsciously called Will 'Dad', but caught herself just in time. She'd have to talk about that with her other newly-found father figure in a therapy session soon.


	3. March 16, 2020

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal and Will have another online therapy session.

**March 16th, 2020:**

Will eyed the Zoom invitation in his inbox for several minutes before working up the nerve to open it. This time, Will wouldn't be caught off guard. He had showered, cleaned up his stubble, and put on a plain but presentable sweater. Why was he so nervous to see Hannibal?

At 7:30 on the dot, the Zoom window opened to see Hannibal.

"Good evening Will,"

"I'm surprised you're considering using Zoom,"

"Really? Why?"

"Most people use Zoom for their work or school. Seems bold to remind everyone of their mental anguish in a supposed safe place,"

"You're right, I want to see what will happen."

"It's almost like old times," Will commented.

"Almost. How have you been?"

"Getting used to..." Will trailed off, before motioning his hands around the air around him "...this. Yesterday was the first day of online classes.

"Is that so? I'm curious, what is higher education like in these times?"

"It's different. Most kids have their webcams turned off, it's easy to forget you're talking at upwards of 50 people,"

"Most people wouldn't be as comfortable talking at the void like this,"

"I'm not most people,"

Hannibal smiled at that. Buster trotted into the screen view from the other side of the couch.

"Buster, get down,"

"I'm not sure I've had the pleasure,"

"He's one of seven, I don't expect you to meet them all or remember which is which."

"In any case, hello Buster,"

Buster popped his head up at the sound of his name, before returning his attention to the toy bone in his mouth. Will started tugging on it playfully, before throwing it off in the distance. Buster scurried away with it.

"You're shockingly domestic,"

"Yeah? I can't brood and look grumpy 24 hours a day," 

Hannibal stifled a laugh before pretending to cough, still clearly at the joke.

"I shouldn't joke. I'm thankful that you're willing to share the more personal parts of your life with me, under these circumstances,"

Will's cheeks grew warm. Why is that? It must be the furnace, Will thought. 

"You don't practice what you preach, Doctor. Very few people wear a three piece suit to sit at home all day,"

"Astute of you to notice the pieces," Hannibal smiled. "I did not in fact, spend all day at home. I went to get tested earlier,"

Will blinked in surprise. "Really? Why's that?"

"An old colleague at Johns Hopkins reached out about potentially volunteering. I thought it was worth looking into,"

"Volunteering. At a hospital. During a pandemic,"

"Yes, Will,"

They stared at each other blankly for a moment.

"Well, uh, be careful. Can't have Jack's reason to sleep at night fall ill,"

"No, of course not,"

This idiot, Will thought. As important as medical doctors are, Will didn't like the idea of Hannibal being one of dozens of overworked and frantically busy doctors at Johns Hopkins. He had seen pictures of the chaos and traumatized-looking doctors from New York hospitals, and he didn't know if Baltimore was as bad yet. Not that Hannibal would be bad at it. He was an emergency room doctor, once. He clearly could attend to the medical needs of others in a crisis, like in Minnesota.

"How's Abigail?" Will finally said, breaking the silence.

"She's safe and healthy, though being terribly fed,"

"I heard. She misses us."

"We miss her too,"

Will gulped at that statement. "Do we now?"

"I don't wish to speak for you, if I'm misinterpreting,"

Will glanced at his phone. He saw at least a dozen messages from the godforsaken group chat, and a text message from Abigail.

"Yeah, I think we do,"

"We're her fathers now, Will. It's only natural that we want to protect her, now more than ever,"

"We should do something. A group dinner."

"An intriguing idea. It sounds lovely,"

Harley and Winston trotted over to Will, looking at him with big eyes.

"We'll set something up. I'll talk to you later though, the dogs are looking at me like they're about to eat me,"

"We can't have that, can we?" Hannibal smiled. "Goodnight Will,"

"Goodnight Hannibal,"


	4. March 20, 2020

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will has a revealing quarantine-dream. And an illuminating conversation with Alana.

_"Will, there's nothing out here," Abigail called out from the front of the boat. She had a fishing rod in one hand, and a book in the other._

_Will opened his eyes leaned up from his chair. The night sky's stars were barely visible over the clouds tonight. The water was incredibly calm. "You have to be patient, Abigail. They'll come with time,"_

_"Good thing we already ate, or we'd really starve tonight,"_

_"Yes, thank God for our meal," Hannibal said, emerging from the lower floor of their boat. He gently placed his hand on Will's shoulder and walked past the thin walkway between the drivers seat to sit next to Will.  
_

_"What a subtle reference to your ego. You wouldn't have anything to ornately cook if I didn't catch it,"_

_Hannibal smiled. Abigail turned around to look at them and sighed._

_"I give up. Maybe there'll be more fish out tomorrow."_

_"All good things take time," Hannibal said. Abigail stood up and reeled in the line, before gently placing the fishing rod in a cupboard. She picked up her book, something in Lithuanian, and crouched down on the ground between her fathers.  
_

_"I'll be in bed. Goodnight,"_

_"Goodnight," the two men said, smiling. Abigail's footsteps pitter-pattered against the metal of the stairs, before disappearing behind the sound of a door closing._

_"She's getting better at the patience aspect. Only thirty minutes this time," Hannibal said, breaking the silence of the cold night air.  
_

_"I think she's focused on other pursuits right now. Lithuanian must be incredibly easy, or she's a prodigy in languages," Will smiled.  
_

_"A prodigy with an excellent teacher,"  
_

_Will leaned back again to look up at the stars.  
_

_"What do you see tonight?"_

_"Most of Ursa Minor. It's just right there,"_

_Hannibal squinted upwards.  
_

_"It'll be easier without the light pollution." Hannibal stood and turned off the foyer lights, before walking towards the flatbed on the front of their boat. He took off his jacket and laid it down on the flatbed cushions, before looking at Will._

_Will smiled and walked over, leaning down to lie next to Hannibal. "You're getting old. I don't know why you keep trying to do this to yourself and your poor eyes,"_

_"All good things take time," Hannibal smiled from next to him. Will looked back up and refocused his eyes on the night stars, taking a few moments to find Ursa Minor again.  
_

_"Okay, you see the really bright one there?" Will said, pointing at the sky. Hannibal leaned his head closer to Will's and stared intently at the sky._

_"Yes, I believe so,"_

_"That's Polaris, the North star. Follow that one left, you see the three stars in a row next to it? Should look like a crooked line."_

_Hannibal squinted again before not responding._

_"It's kind of cloudy, it's probably a bad night for starhunting,"_

_Will lowered his hand from where he was pointing and exhaled. He turned his head towards Hannibal and found that Hannibal was looking straight at him. Their faces were so close, just centimeters away from touching.  
_

_"Hannibal?"_

_In one movement, Hannibal's arm rose to gently cup Will's face and pull them together. Their lips met so softly, with just the faintest touch. Hannibal's lips were warm and smooth, tasting faintly of the wine he paired with their dinner. Will's brain finally restarted and he started moving. He opened his mouth slightly to taste Hannibal further and reclaim his lower lip, pressing intently. Hannibal sighed into it as he gripped Will's face a little tighter. They eventually parted and they slowly opened their eyes._

_"Hannibal?"_

_"I've wanted to do that since Jack ambushed you with me in his office," Hannibal smiled, gently playing with the ends of Will's hair._

_"I've wanted you to do that since we ran away together,"  
_

* * *

**March 20th, 2020:**

Will woke up suddenly, breathing deeply. He blinked several times before realizing he was awake, and that was a dream. This wasn't his first time waking up from intensely realistic dreams that left him sweaty, but they had never been so... delicate and calm. There weren't any wendigos or stags this time. And they had never left him with a raging erection.

Will sighed and walked towards the bathroom for a shower. He took care of his erection under the hot running water and tried to simultaneously forget and remember every detail of his dream. He knew that dreams of a sexual nature don't particularly mean anything, and are more likely combinations of random neurons firing. Yesterday he had dinner over Skype with Abigail and Hannibal. He ate fish with them as they laughed and avoided acknowledging the binding agent of Garrett Jacob Hobbs that brought them together.

That was it. It didn't mean anything at all.

Absolutely nothing.

Will walked out of the shower and stared at himself in the mirror. His hair had never been anyone's definition of 'neat', but now it was getting a little ridiculous. He wondered how long he could handle himself with overgrown curly hair.

Will picked out a white t-shirt and jacket to lecture in, before settling at his desk for another day of Zoom classes.

* * *

"Alana, how are you?"

Alana smiled back at him from Will's laptop screen. She was sitting in a green-hued office, nursing a beer while a candle was lit aflame in the background.

"I'm as well as anyone can be. How have you been?"

They talked for several minutes about the new realities of their lives. Both of them teaching to black faceless screens of students, Alana keeping up-to-date with quarantine-related psychology.

"There's a fun phenomenon happening, I think the kids call it 'quarny'."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a combination of 'quarantine' and 'horny'. I'm sorry you had to hear that too. My little sister had to explain what that meant and I didn't want to suffer alone with that cursed knowledge."

Will thought back to his dream. Then he refocused on Alana.

"Does it have any merit?"

"It makes sense," Alana said, leaning back in her office chair. "You know how it seems like every time you get out of the car, a really good song is on the radio? After the last few songs weren't good?"

"Yeah,"

"It's the same thing, loss of control. People are feeling randy because their release has been taken away from them, not because they actually want to,"

Will looked in the distance and let that sink in. He was experiencing 'quarniness' .... as disgusting as that word was. Nothing more than a couple of synapses fired wrong in the night.

"Wonder what all the people in relationships are feeling like now,"

"Yeah. I wonder too. Screw 'em," Alana laughed.

Will smiled and raised his tumbler of whiskey to that. 


	5. March 23, 2020

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal and Will explore another online videochatting forum. More is revealed between them. Team Sassy Science discovers Tiger King.

**March 23, 2020:**

It had been a miserable weekend for Will Graham.

His sleeping was erratic at best, and borderline dangerous. The hours of the night passed by in a slideshow of moments staring at his alarm clock, while the day trudged by with work. He had even woken up on the roof of his small Wolf Trap House on Saturday morning. There was a new killer, but no one was allowed to visit the body in person except Jack. Jack refused to come in, considering his immunocompromised wife.

Hannibal hadn't texted him all weekend. Not that he was expected to, but it weighed on Will's mind anyway. Hannibal could have ostensibly been busy. Apparently, everyone on the planet was watching a new true crime documentary on Netflix.

_Beverly Katz: I'm not saying she killed him, but if she did it was justified_

_z: too bad we weren't around when he disappeared, we could have definitely solved the case_

_$$$: There's no body, how are we supposed to figure out what happened in thin air? 🧐🧐_

_z: that's literally what will does every time_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): If you're talking about Tiger king I am unfamiliar_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): with it myself but Bella says the show is a sad  
_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): representation of humankind_

On Sunday evening, Will got a text around 6:30 that shifted his depressive mood.

_Will, are you available for a test session tomorrow? Perhaps at 7:30?_

Will responded embarrassingly quickly. 60 seconds later, he had a Google Meets invitation sitting in his inbox.

Come Monday morning, Will looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. His hair was getting too long, only contributing to the crazy professor look. At least his students could only see him through a subpar webcam. His dark circles gave away the look of a man who was struggling to stay conscious, but simultaneously couldn't sleep.

By 7 that evening, he wasn't looking any better. He preened in the mirror, experimentally wetting his hair and slicking it with some product. He gave his overgrown stubble a pass through as well. He changed from his navy green jacket to a blue sweater, before hopping down on his couch at exactly 7:29pm. Just in time to open his inbox and join the meeting.

"Will, how are you?" Hannibal said. He was wearing something... casual? A cream-colored sweater instead of a suit. The lights were dimmer in his study.

"I've been better, Doctor Lecter," Will responded "Are you on the brink of death? Never seen you out of formal wear before."

Hannibal laughed and picked up a mug of something hot, sipping on it briefly. Why was Will paying so much attention to his lips?

"I've quite spent. Over the weekend I was at Johns Hopkins. Volunteering, I assure you."

Will tried to stay stone-faced, even as the words felt like a punch to the gut.

"They let you do that?"

"I'm still a board-certified surgeon. In these circumstances, I'm allowed to join the emergency room staff,"

"Well, kudos to you for your altruism," Will said. Hannibal looked back at him with a knowing smirk. Altruism had no place in their discussions or hearts. "What's it like?"

"A fair amount of hypochondriacs with mild coughs. Of course, people are still experiencing regular injuries. Babies are born, bones are broken, and the elderly fall down,"

"Are you worried?"

"Are you?"

Will simply stared at Hannibal, and let the question hang in the air.

"I'm immensely troubled by a global pandemic, yes,"

"That wasn't an answer. Neither was your response to my first question. Your facial skin indicates poor diet, lack of sleep, stress, or some combination of,"

"Are you calling me ugly, Doctor?" Will said mischeviously. He wasn't sure if it was sleep-deprivation, but it came out less accusatory and more coquettish than he planned.

"No, Will. I could never describe you as ugly,"

Will could feel his cheeks redden, snd he felt the need to suddenly break the silence.

"Like I said, I'm troubled by a pandemic. I've never slept well either."

Hannibal leaned back in his chair. "Do you have a network to support you? Living alone, especially now, can be incredibly arduous,"

Will eyed him curiously. "I think you're my work-mandated network. I talk to Abigail, obviously. Alana sometimes. I'm in a group chat with the behavioral science team, but that's about as annoying as you can imagine,"

"I'm glad you see me that way. I have to admit, the virtual dinner exceeded my expectations. Abigail seemed incredibly content with us,"

Will's mind was flooded with the memories of his dream. Abigail learning Lithuanian and fishing techniques, stargazing on the boat, and a kiss that was simultaneously gentle as a feather but as overwhelming as the ocean waves.

"Will?"

Will blinked and his attention came back to the computer in front of him.

"Will are you alright?"

"I'm fine, sorry. Just got lost. My lack of sleep is catching up to me,"

"Please treat yourself and your body kindly. I'll do whatever it takes to support you in that. In the interest of your mental wellbeing, let's talk again another day,"

Will gave a brief wave and shut his laptop screen, leaning back against his couch cushions.

_If you want to help me stay sane, don't volunteer in a major hospital during a pandemic,_ Will thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea if non-practicing medical doctors could/can volunteer as such during COVID-19. Let's suspend our disbelief and pretend the answer is yes.


	6. March 28, 2020

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigail helps Will realize some truths.

**March 28th 2020:**

"I think it's pure ego,"

Will was sitting outside in the cold night air. It was a Saturday night, around 9pm, and he had already drank two fingers of whiskey. Nestled between his shoulder and ear was his phone, which showed he was 36 minutes and 10 seconds into a call.

"He can come off as pretentious to the unintelligent, but I don't think he's driven purely by ego," Abigail said from the other end.

"He has you talking like him too. I can't wait for you to make long allegories about the ancient Romans and God," Will laughed. Abigail giggled a little too.

"You guys are rubbing off on me, I suppose it can't be helped,"

"I really don't want you to pick anything up from me. It's all bad memories and crazy thoughts up here,"

"Don't worry, I have enough of those on my own,"

Will looked up at the stars while the phone crackled a bit, before Abigail's voice returned.

"Do you think it's weird if I'm enjoying quarantine?"

"Not at all," Will responded. He didn't actually know if that was a phenomena happening right now, but his gut instinct was to comfort and reassure Abigail. "Anything should be better than what you've experienced,"

Abigail was quiet for a moment. "Things are actually alright. I talk with Alana sometimes. She's not being overly maternal, which is good. I talk to you and Hannibal, of course. He says it's fortuitous that I have you guys."

"I..." Will trailed off, rubbing his eyes. "I don't regret a thing. I'm displeased any of it ever happened, but with the world as it is, I'm glad we are where we are,"

"That's exactly what Hannibal said. In less colloquial terms."

Will laughed and started to pour himself another drink. "Are you allowed to go outside there at all?"

"I get 20 minutes of time in the garden a day. A few other patients are allowed outside too, but none of them go out. They can't handle the cold."

"You have a heavy coat? Gloves? Proper boots?" Will asked.

"I'm from Minnesota, I can handle the cold. You sound like my dad,"

That admission brought the conversation to a dead halt. Garret Jacob Hobbs' eyes peered out at him from the dark of the woods in the distance.

"Sorry, I uh... Hannibal said I could think of him as a paternal figure. I should have talked to you about this too,"

Will picked up his drink and opened the sliding door to enter his home again. He didn't want to think of Garrett Jacob Hobbs right now.

"If I'm not overextending myself, I'd love to be a father figure to you as well," Will said. He could feel warmth and happiness in his heart, his empathy acting up even over the phone.

"That's a relief. You sounded proud of me before, standing outside in the cold,"

"I'm still concerned that you don't have warm enough clothes. But yeah, I'm glad you're tough and outdoorsy. We'll do something outdoorsy one day."

"I won't reject a gift. Hannibal already sent me a secret phone. I'm not supposed to have any electronics past eight in the evening. How do you think I'm talking to you right now?"

Will furrowed his eyes and glanced at the clock in his kitchen. 9:17pm. "Really?"

"He's not one for following the rules,"

"Clearly. He has to be a selfless hero, who volunteers to fight in a global pandemic,"

"We're back to this again? C'mon, he's trying to make himself useful,"

"He's trying to make himself the protagonist of an epic Greek drama."

"He's a doctor, not a dangerously gregarious nutjob. He'll be the Homer of his drama, not Icarus,"

"It's still purely idiotic,"

"Will... how do you _feel_ about Hannibal?"

Will swallowed another gulp of his drink. There were butterflies in his stomach. He knew Abigail was going to ask eventually. She was a smart girl.

"I... don't know,"

"I think you do."

"You really do speak like him,"

"I have the best traits of both my new father figures. But what are you two?"

Will finally exhaled. Maybe it was the whiskey, the continued sleep deprivation, or the fact Will no longer felt guilty for thinking about Abigail like one of his own.

"I'm... truly uncertain. You could say we've been dancing around the subject for a while now, but quarantine has confused things certainly."

"He likes you too. It's obvious,"

Will's cheeks ran a deep red in one jolt. "Pardon?"

"You're an FBI profiler, do you not see the signs? You barely kept it PG in front of me at our virtual dinner the other week,"

"I guess I'll have to talk to him now." Will said, rubbing his eyes. How does one properly explain that the daughter of the man you killed, who became your pseudo-daughter, thinks that you and her other pseudo-father should get a room already?

"You just did,"

Will blinked. "What?"

"Maybe not in so many words, but I'm fine being the jumping off point,"

Will looked around the room and felt his breath get heavier. He definitely didn't say that out loud. Did he? Was he hallucinating right now?"

"Are you okay?"

Will closed his eyes and ran a tense hand through his hair, looking for anything to ground him. This wasn't a hallucination. He has never heard Abigail emote with so much worry.

"I've been having trouble sleeping, but I'm fine. I'm supposed to worry about you now,"

"Are you talking with Alana or Hannibal at all?

"Yeah, ah... I have a Skype appointment with Hannibal on Monday."

"Skype? With Hannibal?"

"Yeah, why?"

"He's only using Webex for appointments. He told me right after his sessions were cancelled. It has the best security or something."

Will furrowed his eyes and the room started to spin. "No... he uh, he's been trying out all the virtual apps on me for the past fee weeks."

"Will... he's obviously in-"

"-love with you,"

Garrett Jacob Hobbs' dead blue eyes blinked as his mouth finished Abigail's sentence. His animated corpse stood in the middle of his living room.

Will jolted back and scrambled off of his recliner. The room was dizzyingly moving around him. He couldn't feel his arms or legs, but they somehow brought him to the front door. He couldn't hear Abigail or his dogs, and his vision blackened as he ran out into the pure darkness.


	7. Digital Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chronological account of what the BSU's finest talked about between the 28th and 29th of March.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does Will know what/where the hell is going on? No. So let's see what everyone else has been up to.

**March 28th, 2020:**

BSU Science Groupme:

_z: i actually think the big cats ate him on their own volition_

_$$$: She was just a bystander 🐱 🍽 😈_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): I know the 1997 disappearance of Don Lewis is_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): gaining a lot of attention but the FBI has no_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): official position If I see a damn thing in Tattlecrime_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): from a 'trusted BSU informant' I'll personally make_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): sure you don't have a job within 20 minutes_

* * *

Direct Message (Beverly Katz & Will Graham):

_Beverly Katz: I've never seen them push Jack like that. Felt like hearing my mom say the f-word as s kid._

_Beverly Katz: How are you? Any thoughts on Tiger King?_

* * *

**March 29th, 2020:**

Direct Message (Beverly Katz & Will Graham):

_Beverly Katz: Or anything at all?_

* * *

Direct Message [(jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:\(jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov) & Alana Bloom)

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): Alana have you heard from Will? He's not answering his phone and he missed our virtual meeting today_

_Alana Bloom: Abigail called me 10 minutes ago. She was talking to him last night and she heard something weird, then the call suddenly ended._

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): Jesus, why didn't we hear about this sooner? I'm going over there now. Do you know his address off the top of your head?_

_Alana Bloom: Stop stay with bella I'm driving over right now I'm using the dictation to type this out send_

_Alana Bloom: Apparently Abigail had a contraband phone to talk to Will and Cannibal past the official hours and they took away her phone when she was freaking out and she just got access to phones again this morning Send_

_Alana Bloom: It's autocorrecting to Cannibal isn't it Send_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): You're a lifesaver and you're making me laugh, even in this terrible time._

_Alana Bloom: Hey now I bet my texts look like yours Will and Price say you text like an old man send_

_[jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov](mailto:jcrawford@bsu.fbi.gov): I do that on purpose so they'll hopefully make a group chat without me already. I'm old Alana, I don't need to be in any damn groupchats_

_Alana Bloom: You're a priceless gem and head of the bee bless you for a reason send_

_Alana Bloom: I'm near wolf trap now you know how rural this place is I'll let you know Ace Apey send_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack is just an old man that wants to be left alone. Also even though Alana speaks like an elocution teacher, those dictation type-to-text apps always suck. 
> 
> "Bee bless you" is supposed to be BSU.  
> "Ace Apey" is supposed to be ASAP


	8. March 29, 2020 (Part one)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal's life as a busy volunteer worker bee is interrupted by a familiar face.

**March 29th, 2020:**

Hannibal's phone rang five times between the hours of 9:26pm and 9:31pm. The humming of his phone vibrated against the cold metal of a locker. His personalized ringtone for Abigail, Bach's Goldberg Variations, rang throughout the locker room. A random intern heard it and thought, 'Wow, that sounds poetic,' 

While the random intern enjoyed a brief break from the chaos through the echoing of Bach, Hannibal was standing out in the Baltimore cold under a tent. 

As an esteemed medical doctor, Hannibal was quickly accepted as a volunteer during the global pandemic. But since there had been a considerable amount of years between his professional lives of psychiatrist and doctor, he humbly took a position outside the Emergency Room's doors as a screener. Dozens of other doctors scrambled around the five large tents set up outside of Johns Hopkins, all under Hannibal's direction. 

Even at 3:34 in the morning, Hannibal exemplified his skills as a leader, not a doctor. He did rounds of screening for individuals showing up to the hospital like everyone else. His hands were partially numb from the cold, even under his thermal gloves. 

An Virginia state ambulance pulled up to the entrance area. Hannibal furrowed his brow with confusion.

"Excuse me! Is this a transfer?" a gregarious young doctor called out, as he approached the ambulance. Over the past 6 hours, Hannibal had the displeasure of working with Dr. Deur, a barely 30-year-old man with barely any hair left.

"Inova and MedStar can't take him, all the regional places are understaffed. They told us over the CB to come here," a middle-aged EMT from the drivers seat said. 

"Jesus, you were at least an half an hour away! Why not just throw him over the side of the freeway outside of Deanwood?" 

The EMT in the car, even from beneath his mask, was visibly frowning. The backdoors popped open and a second, younger EMT emerged from the back, hauling out a gurney with a pale adult male in it. Hannibal looked down at his tablet to start a new screening intake form.

"We've got a John Doe, late 30s early 40s, found him wandering on the side of the road outside of Wolf Trap,"

Before he could register the information from the EMT, Hannibal's gaze settled on the masked man on the gurney. 

It was Will Graham. In bare feet and grey sweatpants, a flimsy white t-shirt, and a thick navy green jacket. Someone put a disposable mask on him.

"Not visibly on drugs, but we can't rule it out," Dr. Deur said. 

"I'm familiar with the patient," Hannibal announced. All the heads turned to him. "He is a colleague of mine from the FBI. He needs to be tested, but he is assuredly negative for COVID,"

"The FBI?" the young EMT asked. 

"Shit," Dr. Deur said. "What's the procedure? Does he have some type of clearance we should know of?"

"He's a valued asset of the FBI. He can be processed like everyone else, but I'll need to find a private location for him and his superiors," Hannibal said. The knot in his throat wouldn't go away, no matter how calmly he projected. Will's body called to him, but Hannibal knew he'd have to follow the rules. Secure a private room. End his volunteer shift. Call Jack, Alana, anyone to confirm that the privacy was necessary. Then he wouldn't leave Will's side.

It took every bone in Hannibal's body to walk away from Will and enter John Hopkins. He confirmed with Dr. Deur that he had a handle on the screening tents for the time being. He couldn't let anyone realize who Will was to him. Couldn't risk Will's medical care on account of a technicality. Every muscle in his legs strained as he calmly walked inside the automatic doors, to approach the nurse's station of Johns Hopkins. 

"Hello Kim. I have an odd favor to ask of you,"

* * *

Hannibal stared at his phone in the cold metal locker room. He could only listen to 2 of Abigail's voicemails before needing to gulp down his fear. He reread the text messages from Abigail.

_Abigail: Hannibal, something weird happened on the phone with Will._

_Abigail: Please answer me when you get this_

_Abigail: He freaked out and ran off, I don't think he's lucid right now_

Hannibal took a deep breath and picked up his phone. He stared at Jack's phone number, thumb hovering over the phone icon.

From the other row of lockers, two doctors shuffled out the sliding doors. A coin bounced several times onto the cold tile surface, as the doors shut behind them. Hannibal wandered over to the coin, just as it bounced to land upright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I definitely did some research on how hospitals are handling COVID, what DC/Baltimore hospitals and neighborhoods are like, but I still know nothing about how HIPAA regulations work between EMTs/doctors. ~suspend your disbelief~


	9. March 29, 2020 (Part two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will, Hannibal, and the BSU team are reunited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a cannibal, loose in the hospital

_"You're getting there. Stir the onions a little more, then we'll add the garlic,"_

_Despite falling asleep in front of a gorgeous sunset and the incessant talking between Hannibal and Abigail, Will's nose woke him up first. He blinked a few times under the glare of the harsh red sun, before eventually leaning up from the pillow._

_"Look who joined the land of the living," Abigail called out. Hannibal shot him a mischievous glance before returning his attention to the kitchenette._

_"I was hoping you wouldn't be offended, it's a hard read," Will responded, palming the book resting open on his lap. He rose up and walked up the stairs briefly, checking on the waves from above deck. He closed his eyes and let the salty ocean water surround his senses, filling him with peace and calm. He could feel footsteps of someone joining him._

_"We're having hoisin-glazed Haddock, with hollandaise sauce," Hannibal near-whispered from behind Will. His arms settled around Will's waist and he tucked his chin on Will's shoulder. Will couldn't help but grin._

_"Is our sous chef okay to be cooking by herself for now?" Will asked._

_"Of course. I never leave my food in the hands of the unprepared,"_

_Will turned around to face Hannibal, this time resting his hands on Hannibal's waist. He pulled them towards the alcove, away from the stairs where Abigail might see._

_"I know we're running low. I'll be up bright and early to catch some more fish," Will said, forehead against Hannibal's._

_"I"m not concerned. We made our peace with the world. I have everything I need here,"_

_Will looked into Hannibal's eyes, practically glowing red from the rays of sun bouncing off the ocean water. He cupped Hannibal's cheek and kissed him, deeply and with want. Hannibal didn't hesitate to let his hand wander down to Will's ass, giving a teasing clutch before pulling away._

_"Will, you need to wake up now,"_

* * *

**March 29th, 2020:**

The fluorescent lights above him stung. Will tried to shield his eyes, but upon trying to move, found that there was something plastic restricting his arm. 

"Will?"

Will slowly opened his eyes. He slowly leaned up, and let his eyes adjust to the brightness. 

In the corner sat Hannibal. He was wearing a full yellow isolation gown, complete with a scrubcap and medical mask. 

"William,"

Hannibal rose and approached him slowly. Will wanted to reach out and clutch him, make sure he was real. 

"Jack will be back shortly, I'm here,"

Will looked around and realized he was in a hospital room. Not just any hospital room, but the most sterile and disconcerting room he'd ever seen in his life. He opened the palm nearest to Hannibal, where Hannibal took his hand. Will blinked a few times and dry-swallowed before opening his mouth to speak.

"I-"

"I know. I as well,"

Will gripped his hand tighter, refusing to let go. Even as the rushing and heavy footsteps whooshed in from around the corner, before Jack was there in the flesh.

"God, Will,"

Will blinked a few times and dry-swallowed before opening his mouth to speak. "Are we all negative for COVID?"

"Yes," Hannibal said. "They ran priority labs on all of us. There's other news, however,"

Jack took a seat besides Will. He quickly eyed Hannibal and Will's hands, but chose to ignore it before looking Will in the eyes.

"You have encephalitis," 

Jack's words were blurred, if such a thing could be perceived. The words coming from his mouth didn't hit Will. All he could focus on was the heat from Hannibal's hand. His words from earlier. 

"You still there, Will?"

Will forcibly focused himself in the present. "Yeah. It's a lot to take in,"

Jack leaned back in his chair and sighed. "I need you healthy, Will. They're gonna discharge you in a few hours. I can't be there for you right now, but I need you to be healthy,"

"I've already volunteered my services as a remote healthcare professional," Hannibal announced. He gently let go of Will's hand and sat down in the chair on the other side of Will's hospital bed. 

"That seems fair. What do I do about encephalitis?" 

Jack looked at Hannibal before shrugging. "Your actual doctor should be coming by soon to tell you about the actual treatment, but Hannibal could probably explain it too," 

"Okay," 

Jack looked briefly at his shoes before rising up, and retrieving a disposable mask from his pocket. 

"You'll call me when you get back to Wolf Trap?"

"Yeah,"

Jack left the room. Once his footsteps echoed down the hall, Will turned to face Hannibal again. 

"I'm not sure what happened,"

"I've been piecing together the past 24 hours myself, with some help from Abigail,"

"So, you two talked?"

Hannibal smiled and reached for Will's hand again. He was clearly smiling from behind his own face mask.

"We did. I feel the same way," 

Will took a deep breath and let his nerves go away with his exhale. 

"I'd like to kiss you right now,"

"I'd like to kiss you. But we'll have to wait until we're in a slightly more private location. I'm surprisingly popular with the staff here,"

Will laughed a little. "What happens now?"

"I'm under strict orders to take you home. I'll make sure your groceries are well-stocked, familiarize you with your treatment regiment, and check up on you every day,"

"What a privilege, Doctor Lecter is doing personal house visits,"

"I'm glad to see you still have your spirit about you,"

Will leaned over from his back to his side, completely facing Hannibal now. 

"I mean, what happens now? With us?"

Hannibal caressed the outside of Will's knuckles gently, comforting him.

"I'm first and foremost focused on your health. But from what Abigail says, this doesn't seem to be a side effect of your illness," 

"No, no it's not. And you?"

"From the moment I cornered you in Jack's office."

Will closed his eyes, briefly. "God, I want to kiss you. Can't you scandalize a few nurses, give them something to gossip about?"

Hannibal leaned forward, ever so slightly. "Unfortunately, this kind of breach in protocol wouldn't just be gossip. It'd be a rude breach of health and safety protocols,"

"Abigail said you weren't one for following rules,"

"She knows us well,"

* * *

Hannibal had sat alongside the doctor assigned to Will's case as he explained his new treatment regiment. He was prescribed an anticonvulsant, an antiviral, and over-the-counter recommendations for fluid-replenishment. He let Will get dressed by himself, as he pulled up his Bentley to the front of the hospital gates. 

Including a stop at a 24/7 pharmacy, the drive back to Wolf Trap took about all of 45 minutes. The governor's stay-at-home order left the roads mostly empty. If they were pulled over, Hannibal knew they'd be safe, given Will was still visibly wearing a patient gown underneath his jacket. Jack also dropped off Will's wallet and FBI credentials, which would also come in handy. In any case, they cruised the empty roads into the late of night, before arriving at Will's home in Wolf Trap. His dogs started barking from behind the front door, before Hannibal's car was halfway up the driveway. 

"They are starved for attention, but not starved. Courtesy of Alana," Hannibal explained. 

While Will reunited with his dogs on the floor of his house, Hannibal started rifling through his cupboards and his fridge. He never expressed it, but Will could tell he wasn't satisfied with the caliber of produce and staples in the kitchen.

"I predict I'll be bringing you meals frequently." 

"I'm amenable to that idea," Will said, grinning fiercely from the floor with two hands petting seven dogs. 

After the dogs tired out, he went into his bedroom and changed into his softest pair of pajamas. The hospital scrubs made him hyperaware of how smooth a pair of cotton sweatpants could be. He could hear Hannibal making the perfunctory call to Jack. 

Will eventually emerged to find Hannibal brewing tea, looking at his phone with a tinge of angst.

"I was supposed to call Abigail the minute you were conscious, but her contraband cell phone was confiscated at 8 sharp,"

"I'll call her in the morning," Will said, reaching into his cupboards for two mugs. "I can't believe you bought her a phone,"

"She has another one being delivered in less than 12 hours," 

"How did she get so lucky to find you?" Will teased. 

Looking straight at Hannibal, he turned his attention away from the kettle to shorten the distance between them. Hannibal closed the gap between them and let their lips meet in a soft kiss. Will's lips parted under his almost immediately. Hannibal brought his hand up to cup Will's cheek as their kiss deepened. It was an intoxicating combination of stubble-friction and the smell of pomegranate conditioner. Hannibal's other hand drifted further down, resting at the small of Will's back. Will tilted his head back just barely, before letting his tongue slide across Hannibal's bottom lip. Hannibal sighed into his mouth before they simultaneously brought their bodies closer together, with his right thigh firmly planted in between Will's legs. Just as Will wanted to obscenely shove his growing hardness into Hannibal, he slowly slumped away from Hannibal. Will kept his hands around Hannibal's shoulders, just letting their foreheads touch. It had been a long day, and this was enough for now. 

"Luck indeed," Hannibal whispered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not know anything about encephalitis that Bryan Fuller didn't explain through heavy metaphors and dark imagery.


	10. March 30th, 2020

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will settles back in at home, and has a lengthy and girthy phone call with Hannibal

**March 30, 2020:**

Will woke up feeling well-rested for the first time in a long time. He felt equally good until he checked his phone and saw a text from Jack.

_Your governor is putting a shelter-in-place order, effective in two days. Make the arrangements you need._

Will immediately leaned back in bed with an exhausted sigh. He eventually trudged out of bed and absent-mindedly let the dogs out, before pouring more food into their dishes.

He knew he had enough groceries, gas, and dog food to last several weeks. Even if he did run out of food, he had distant neighbors with farms and nearby streams with fish. Now with the router, Will could actually ostensibly hold out for a few months alone in his little bubble.

But he didn't want to be alone. Not anymore.

* * *

Will had managed to spend most of the day productively working. He recorded at least a week's worth of lectures and even contributed to the BSU groupchat.

_Beverly Katz: PSA: avoid the Safeway on Forbes. Parking lot is a zoo._

_$$$: Cute stuff, wait til you're surrounded by alcoholics shopping for a lockdown supply 😂😂. Someone collapsed at Bo Brooks and they basically stepped over him_

_z: snapchat says the weis by the airport isn't busy_

_$$$: How old are you? Seriously, how old are you I forgot 😇_

_Beverly Katz: I'm petsitting a cat, where I can get the best cat food?_

_Will Graham: Try Howl by Druid Hill Park_

_Beverly Katz: Thanks kid!_

_$$$: Really does anyone know of a liquor store that isn't a madhouse right now_

Will got a call from a random number around noon, and his instincts told him to pick up for some reason.

"Will!"

Abigail's cheery voice led him to take a nearly 45 minute break from his work. Will explained that he experienced a hallucination due to encephalitis, but he was healthy and safe now. The conversation veered from the books Abigail was reading, Will's dogs, and eventually Hannibal. After a very sheepish and intentionally censored retelling of the previous night's events, Abigail could barely contain her excitement. Will liked how happy she was for him, and how her feelings didn't feel like a burden to reciprocate.

He and Hannibal had been intermittently texting throughout the day, mostly check-ups from the latter about his health. By 7pm, Will stared at Hannibal's contact page info long enough to work up the nerve to press call.

"Will, how are you?"

"Same as two hours ago, I'm well,"

"Do you need more electrolyte fluids?"

"You know, your concern is bordering on anxiety. I think you'd feel better if I was directly under your supervision."

"I would," Hannibal said. "It would ease my mind immensely,"

Will settled down on the couch and exhaled. "There's a deadline for that offer. The shelter in place order goes into effect in around 24 hours,"

"Yes, that's been weighing on me as of recent,"

"The executive order does permit medical visits."

"True, but Wolf Trap is over an hour away. I'm wary of attracting the attention of police, particularly as I'm not your primary care physician,"

"Yeah," Will sighed. His house was looking lonelier and more depressing by the minute.

"I don't know if this is too intrusive, but I'd like to offer you my guest ro-"

"Yes,"

Hannibal, in a moment of speechlessness, didn't say anything for a moment.

"To assure you, I haven't interacted with anyone in-person since I left your house last night,"

"Of course,"

"My house is unfit to home all of your pack. It could support a few well-behave-"

"Alana can watch them. She has one of her own, and I know she'd do it just for free bags of my homemade dog food."

"Will, your continued interuptions could be characterized as rude,"

"Oh yeah?" Will said, leaning back on the sofa cushions. "What are you gonna do about it?"

"Behavior modification methods aren't effective over the phone. I'll think of something for when you're under my care, in-person,"

"Under your care. How clinical and medical,"

"Of course, you're staying with me for your health,"

"My health. One-hundred percent."

Even with his lack of knowledge about social cues, Will could tell the conversation was at a crossroads. One where they'd talk the logistics of transplanting Will to Baltimore, and the other-

"Tell me, Will. How are your headaches?"

Will blinked before taking a mental inventory. "They've been... average. Circumstances considered."

"How do you usually cope?"

"Aspirin, work, whiskey... in descending order of frequency,"

"I have an alternative pain relief method,"

"Yes?"

"It borders on the unorthodox, though it's singularly pedestrian and routine,"

"Oh do tell," Will said, absentmindedly undoing the top few buttons of his shirt.

"Tell me where you are. Describe your surroundings,"

"I'm in my home, on the couch. It's dark out, I have the fireplace going. The dogs are cozy in front of it,"

"You should go to your bedroom. You'll be more comfortable and private,"

Will rose with only Winston perking his ears up at Will's departure. He shut the door and sat down on the bed.

"I'm certainly in a more private location, though not as comfortable,"

"Clothing often subtly restricts the bloodflow. Remove _anything_ that is hindering your comfort,"

With his shoulder hunched to his ear, Will freed the rest of his buttons. He made as much effort as possible to noisily remove his belt, short of holding the phone to his crotch to catch the metal clicks.

"I still don't know what your unorthodox pain relief method entails. My imagination is running wild,"

"We'll make good use of your imagination. Where does it take you now?"

"Well, I keep getting pulled back to last night. Us, in the kitchen,"

"Ah yes. You were very chivalrous,"

Will lazily slid his fingers under the hem of his jeans, to rest around his pelvic bone. "Maybe I'm feeling differently right now. I've been so rude lately,"

"Tell me, what would you theoretically do if you elaborated on this newfound indecency?"

Will let his nimble fingers unzip his fly and the top button. "A degree of reciprocation would be appreciated, if I'm theoretically being... crude,"

"I'm equally... let's say exposed and invested,"

"Good." Will breathed out, reaching into his briefs to palm his semi-hard erection.

"I'd let your hands wander where they wanted. Under my flannel lumberjack clothing that you hate so much." Will's imagination put them right there, back in his kitchen. Or on the boat. Either way, Hannibal was gripping his asscheeks.

"You're so talented with those hands, Doctor Lecter," Will drawled, grip on his erection steadying into a firm pump. "You're truly a Renaissance man, but what else can they do?"

"If I'm still cornering you in your kitchen," Hannibal interrupted "I start with pulling your hair back so I could kiss your throat."Such long beautiful curls, they deserve attention."

Will's cockhead was bulbously dripping with precum, so he took the opportunity to shuck it out of his briefs. It slapped obscenely against his stomach, loud enough that Hannibal could probably could hear.

"But other parts of you deserve attention as well," Hannibal said in a low voice. "I'd free you from those hospital gown pants, caressing your bare thighs. Tell me, are you aroused enough that I'd get on my knees?"

That last sentence alone made Will's cock twitch as he quickened his strokes. "Y-Yes, I am,"

"Good. I'd unsheath you. Grip you firmly and take you with my mouth. You can grip me by the hair and push me deeper, but I'll be teasing you with my tongue,"

The sheer filthiness of it made Will involuntarily buck his hips, imagining he was sliding into that hot mouth. He was embarrassingly close, but he kept fisting his cock with the same intensity.

"I'll lick and suck you from your slit to the base of your cock. Take every inch of you. You'll watch me being fucked by your mouth. Tell me, will you come at the back of my throat or al over my face?"

Will let out a traitorous moan and didn't stop, not when he came spurts onto his stomach. His ears buzzed in orgasmic bliss, not realizing how much he was panting until he picked up the phone from where it had dropped from his shoulder.

"Hannibal?"

"Yes?

"Was that, ahm, a rhetorical question?"

"Let's explore that crossroads when we get there again. Was my alternative effective in relieving pain?"

"Most certainly. I'm interested in how I can reciprocate equally,"

"There's time for that soon. What time should I pick you up tomorrow?"

Will blinked, trying to refocus on the logistics of temporarily staying with Hannibal instead of how hard he just came. "I'll need time to make arrangements for the dogs, how about 4 o'clock?"

"Sounds excellent. Goodnight, dear Will,"

Will stared at the ceiling for what felt like hours, still in a state of disbelief. Only 24 hours ago, he was found by Virginia State PD on the side of the road and taken to a hospital. Now, his psychiatrist/co-parent figure/colleague was servicing him better through phone sex than most of his experiences with actual sex. It wasn't jarring, but these juxtapositions of life disoriented him. Not enough to make him avoid the call of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big ups to Devereauxs_Disease, who has the OG claim on coronatime Hannigram phone-sex "thought experiments".


	11. March 31st, 2020

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will arrives at Hannibal's home. He has a religious moment in the study.

**March 31st, 2020:**

Alana did in fact take on the favor of watching his dogs, with the stipulation of edible gifts. That's how Will ended up spending all morning on the floor of his living room, pouring homemade dog food into zip-loc bags. When it became obvious that the dogs wouldn't leave him alone while the food was out, Will let them roam outside.

He went through his mental checklist of to-do items before Hannibal picked him up. _Take out the trash, throw away the perishables, unplug electronics_.

It took two round trips to get all of his dogs safely to Alana's. They waved at each other from 10 feet away, Will gently petting each dog's head before they ran into Alana's prius. He loosely clipped a 50 dollar bill in a small baggie to Winston's collar before he slowly approached Alana.

After eyeing the baggie and reaching down to realize it's contents, she smirked at Will. "You don't have to pay me, really,"

"You've already touched it, so it's yours. I have a weak immune system, remember?" Will sarcastically called out from his porch. Alana rolled her eyes and unclipped the bag, before nudging Winston in the car with Buster and Harley.

By 3:30 that afternoon, Will had finished taking care of the house and he indulged in a quick shower. The little butterflies in his stomach were getting more intense, but he mindlessly toweled off and got dressed. He had half a mind to dress up for Hannibal, but it seemed silly. This was a doctor taking care of a sick person. Still, Will put on his most presentable sweater and jeans.

At 3:59 sharp, Hannibal's Bentley rolled up his driveway for the second time in the past two days. Will greeted him at the porch, suitcase right behind him.

"All of your things are in one bag?" Hannibal asked, forehead nuzzled against Will.

"I'm an excellent packer. Experienced,"

Hannibal didn't take Will's suitcase, but he could see Hannibal was dying to ask. They both knew Will would need to maintain a base level of autonomy, should this medical/romantic relationship work

* * *

Will had settled into Hannibal's home quite seamlessly. He was given a truncated tour, before being led to a guest room and adjoining bathroom. The walls were a deep blue, like the rest of the house. There was an auspicious still-life of a kitchen, painted in some style Will wasn't educated enough to guess what. The bathroom was smaller than he would have predicted, but it made sense for an en-suite. Will tried not to notice that the tour only included verbal reference to Hannibal's bedroom as being down the hall.

Hannibal retired to prepare dinner, leaving Will to settle in. He eventually meandered down to the kitchen, where Hannibal was busy cutting carrots.

"I usually offer my dinner guests wine, but for the time being we'll stick with water," Hannibal said, nudging a glass of water towards Will. He smiled and took an indulgent sip.

"What's for dinner?"

"Never ask, spoils the surprise," 

* * *

Dinner was typically; veiled metaphors about death weaved in between bites of gourmet food. Nothing would have indicated that the two men were temporarily living together, or that they hadn't ravished each other making out like two horny teenagers so shortly before.

They eventually retired to the study. Will settled into a brown-red leather chair while Hannibal brought Will a small plate of tiramisu, a bottle of Pedialyte, and a smaller plate of pills.

"A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, right Doctor Lecter?" Will said from his seated position. Hannibal could barely hold back his smirk at that, while setting the plates down and gently caressing Will's cheek. Will looked up at him through thick eyelashes.

"Mary Poppins had an unorthodox method of child rearing. I suppose there's more similarities between us than what is apparent,"

"I like your unorthodox methods." Will said, reaching up for Hannibal's collar. He indulgently leaned down so Will could wrap his hand around Hannibal's neck and lower him, enough for a tantalizing kiss. The roar of the fireplace in front of them created such a baroque and sensual atmosphere. Both Will and Hannibal's fingers started undoing the latter's buttons lazily. Not with the intention of stripping, but just for more surface area to caress against the glow of the fire.

They parted with foreheads together, when Will pushed himself out of his chair and onto his knees. He looked up with pleading eyes, silently asking for permission. Hannibal didn't respond, but simply twirled some of Will's curls loosely with his hand.

Will wasn't oblivious to the half-hard erection now inches from his face, or how much it had grown since Will kneeled in front of him. Not nervously, but cautiously, he undid Hannibal's belt and gave the slacks a gentle tug to let them fall. His stylish briefs were clearly expensive, soft, but so thin. Will could see the outline of Hannibal's cock in much more detail.

He dipped two fingers in between the elastic and his hipbone to pull them down, when Hannibal's uncut cock was now inches from Will's mouth. He looked up and didn't break eye contact, even as he gripped Hannibal by the base and thumbed the slit. He didn't let his gaze falter, even while he slowly encompassed his cockhead in his mouth. Their eyes never left each other, even as Will felt like his mouth and tongue were being stretched to a limit on Hannibal's shaft.

Finally, when Will took Hannibal's entire length, he couldn't keep up the pretense and let his eyes close. Thoroughly laving attention with his tongue in bobbing motions, obscenely letting saliva drip from the corners of his mouth. When he pulled back slightly to suck the head, he noticed the taste of pre-cum.

Hannibal let out encouraging little praises, for how tight his mouth feels and how beautiful he is. He never pushes Will's head, but rather keeps a grip on some of the his curls.

Will kept going, trying various things. Taking as much of Hannibal's cock as he can without choking. Licking the frenulum repeatedly, before sucking on the head. Letting his lips graze the slit in between breaths. Suddenly, Hannibal winced and clutched Will's hair before fisting his cock again

"I'm close,"

Will didn't respond. He slowly leaned forward to give the head a teasing lick. Hannibal's pumping got faster, tighter, and then more erratic. He releases right onto Will's face, cum splayed on dark stubble and smooth skin alike.

A single bead of semen drips from the edge of his chin onto his shirt, when Will realized he's been truly and thoroughly marked. Not withstanding Will's position from the ground on his knees, Hannibal's full figure backlit by the glowing warm hues made him seem larger than life. This was a symbolic act of worship, after all. Hannibal was a God, or something worth worshipping.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how Mary Poppins got involved??


	12. April 7th, 2020

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Hannibal get domestic

_April 7th, 2020_

Hannibal and Will were getting along surprisingly well.

Contrary to what Hannibal expected, Will didn't use three-in-one shampoo and eat pre-packaged meals. Will also was pleasantly surprised to learn that Hannibal had human foibles as well. He was less graceful in the mornings, and a little grumpy after 11pm.

It shocked the both of them how... domestic they quickly became. Like an old married couple. An _old_ married couple. Hannibal did stretches and jogged on a treadmill to stave off the inevitability of time ruining his joints. Will had an assortment of pills he now took every morning and evening.

"Tell me Will, does it shock you how uninhibited we are together?"

Will lifts his head from his laptop, looking at Hannibal from the other end of the couch. Their legs were lazily intertwined under a blanket while Will graded papers and Hannibal was sketching.

"I'm not shocked, just pleasantly surprised," Will says. "We could be more uninhibited,"

"What did you have in mind?"

* * *

"Unh, God, yes, don't move," Will says, barely above a whisper.

Hannibal didn't dare more a muscle. Will was so brazenly working himself on Hannibal's cock, letting his ass slap against Hannibal's thighs as his own cock bounced obscenely against his stomach.

"Fuck," Will exhales, gripping Hannibal's shins from behind himself for balance. Just like that, in a wanton display of lust, he clenches his muscles and Hannibal lets a traitorous moan escape.

"You like that darlin'?" Will says. Hannibal can only nod. If only Will knew what a little southern twang did to Doctor Lecter sooner.

"Get up,"

Hannibal scrambles to his feet and they reposition, Hannibal kneeling upwards on the bed behind Will, salaciously positioned on his hands and knees. Will's body takes Hannibal easily, but it doesn't stop Will from grunting with the force.

Hannibal grips the sides of Will's hips and relentlessly pounds into him at an unending pace. "Fuck, please," Will practically sobs.

"So hard for me," Hannibal grunts from above. "My filthy, remarkable boy,"

"Yes," Will gasps, dropping to his forearms. Not so accidentally presenting his pert little ass for Hannibal. He can only manage a few more thrusts before releasing.

They both take a few moments to catch their breath, before Hannibal shifts to pull out.

"No,"

Will reaches for Hannibal's hand and drags him forward, draping Hannibal over his back. Hannibal snakes his arm around Will's hip to grip his cock, so bulbous at the head. Thumbing the slit and giving a few indulgent strokes. Will releases onto Hannibal's hand, and he fucks himself on Hannibal's fist for another minute or so.

"Jesus," Will finally says, breaking the silence. Hannibal can't help but chuckle at that, face pressed into Will's back.

They separate to shower - Hannibal in the ensuite master bathroom, and Will in the guest room down the hall. After twenty minutes or so, Will saunters back in, wearing some boxers and a tight-fitting t-shirt. Hannibal is tucking the last corner of a fitted sheet under the mattress.

"Those look like the boxers you flashed me with over Zoom some time ago," Hannibal comments, wearing dark emerald flannels and a gray long-sleeve.

Will looks down and snorts out a laugh. He settles down on the bed with two glasses of water. Hannibal graciously accepts his cup, and dons the new comforter onto the bed on top of Will.

"I didn't realize you noticed," Will says. He unclicks the pill bottle and swallows one, followed by a hearty gulp of water.

"I did, very much so," Hannibal says, climbing into bed with Will. He steals a kiss before fluffing the pillows on his side.

"I noticed you too, by the way." Will says. He sets the glass back down and flips his bedside lamp off. _His_ bedside lamp, somehow after only a week it's understood that this is _his_ side of the bed.

"Oh really?" Hannibal says, after turning off his own lamp. Within the darkness, they find each other and lie down facing each other, Hannibal tracing lazy patterns with his fingers into his forearms.

"I've wanted to kiss you since I met you. You're very kissable," Will says with a raspy drawl. He reaches out to cradle Hannibal's face with his calloused hands.

"You're beautiful," Hannibal says. He lets out a yawn that makes Will crave more of this kind of domestic bliss. Pillow-talk after vigorous sex. "You surprise me every day,"

Will raises an eyebrow. "What, did you think I'd be a stiff board during sex?"

"I didn't expect it, but I could have never envisioned you so perfectly uninhibited."

"Ah, uninhibited. Our word of the day."

"I can't wait to find out what other words you know,"

Will leans forward and leaves a tender kiss on Hannibal's forehead. They're both about to fall asleep soon, he can feel it.

"This is all I ever wanted for us."

"It's beautiful,"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my lovelies!! Stay smart, stay safe, and stay sexy during quarantine. 
> 
> Miiiight write a small epilogue later. Who knows.


End file.
